September 5, 2016

Yesterday's "Meet the Press" had a panel discussion that began with the moderator Chuck Todd asking about criticism from "some Latino leaders" about the Clinton campaign's lack of outreach to Latino voters. There has been no Spanish language advertising. Todd turned first to Maria Teresa Kumar, the president and CEO of Voto Latino. "Are they slow? Are they behind?" This ensues:

MARIA TERESA KUMAR: The fact that Trump, is the Republican candidate, has actually given the Hillary campaign tons of media and Spanish media, so much so is that we have--

CHUCK TODD: The free media trumps everything--

MARIA TERESA KUMAR: The free-- no, but I mean to really crystallize it, there is a Latino astrologist named Walter Mercado that we've all grown up with, listening to in Spanish media. He has gone after anti-Trump. So the fact that she is so much media buy in the Spanish languages is good, it's fantastic. But her challenge is actually going to get the Latino millennials, the ones that are English dominant that may not be turning it on....

What?! Astrologist?!! We had to rewind. That just flew by, and she never elaborated her point. I'm going to assume that "go[ing] after anti-Trump" means going anti-Trump/going after Trump. What is this astrology going on in Spanish media? What on earth is the discussion in Spanish? I'd heard that it's different from what we're hearing in English, but... astrology? Oh, my. I hadn't heard about astrology in politics since the Reagan era.The news from 1988:

President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, are both deeply interested in astrology, the White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, said today, and two former White House officials said Mrs. Reagan's concerns had influenced the scheduling of important events.... Mr. Fitzwater said Mrs. Reagan is particularly worried about the impact astrological portents can have on her husband's safety. But he declined to say exactly how Mrs. Reagan had used astrological information. And the President, answering a question at a photo-taking session, said, ''No policy or decision in my mind has ever been influenced by astrology.''...

Marcello Truzzi, a professor of sociology at Eastern Michigan University, said he has collected evidence over many years documenting the Reagans' interest in astrology. ''I don't think Reagan is a truly avid astrological person, but I think if all things are equal, it has some impact on him,'' said Mr. Truzzi, who also heads an independent institute, the Center for Scientific Anomalies Research.... Professor Truzzi noted that President Theodore Roosevelt was an astrology buff, and that President Franklin D. Roosevelt quoted horoscopes....

“I did a chart about what I see in the future and the present of this monster, this backwards person that can lead not only the United States, but the world, to total destruction,” Mercado said in Spanish. “He has no knowledge of politics and no knowledge of any type of diplomacy. He is a person that thinks money can buy anything and thinks that you can buy the conscience of all of humanity. The conscience cannot be bought with these policies that are so insulting and offensive to the human race.... I am totally, completely and absolutely in favor of Hillary, and astrologically, she is the better prospect,” he said. “God willing, the stars will align so that we will have the right president.”

I wouldn't bet a single dollar against Donald J. Trump winning, come November. As I've said to my husband, for quite a while now, I can't/won't make a prediction; that said, I'm interested in what the odds among everyone are going to do, end up doing.

Um, yeah. If that's Walter, I'm Polly. Holding up its hand in the last image reveals the soft white hand of the "man" who has never worked. Trafficking in selling BS to those desperate to avoid the truth is no way to go through life.

What do Hispanic gays feel about Walter Mercado? Is his act a caricature or some kind of a homage to Liberace?.......I used to occasionally watch Spanish language television. The gay characters were usually presented as being grotesquely effeminate. Fortunately Hispanics are part of the Democratic coalition so they'll never get called out on it.

So Donald is not receiving Mexican support because he continually insults Mexican immigrants. Nosir - blame it all on Walter Mercado! Of course there is the theory going around that Astrologists have more scientific discipline than so-called Climate Scientists do.

Superior Euro intellect on display.A friend married a woman from Barcelona. She was a failed Econ grad student who told me "All wealth comes from taxes"She teaches environmental studies at UIC, I think.

There arent many states where Spanish language political ads would make much difference. CA and TX are certain no matter what and there isnt much reason to bother. AZ and NM probably so. FL is the big one, look there if anywhere.BTW, Spanish language media is owned and operated as a political asset as is the rest of the MSM. Who pays the piper calls the tune.

There was a time when I used to watch at least parts of Sabado Gigante, evidently off the air now, and I think I remember that Walter Mercado was a guest on that program more than once. Perhaps just the one appearance made a great impression? in any event I don't see (looking at the S. G. Wiki page) that he was at all a regular guest.

With the exception of Cubans, most Latin people are Democrats from the time of JFK. His message resonates because it's what they already believe. While Latin women probably find him cute, I don't think most Latin men would be influenced by Walter Mercado. By the way, that's probably a stage name.

I saw my work friend's favorite girlfriend on Sabado Gigante wearing spike heels and a bathing suit. She worked in our office, and, while I knew her, I didn't know she moonlighted as a model. So I innocently mentioned it to him on Monday.

His jaw dropped and the anger visibly rose in him. Turns out he didn't know she did this, eventually prompting The Fight of The Century.